TUC Women’s conference: organising against cuts

The TUC women’s conference last week brought together over 200 delegates from 33 unions to discuss the impact of cuts on women workers.

From maternity to pensions, women’s rights are being rolled back across the board.

The attacks on the public sector are especially harsh for women, who are disproportionately represented both as users and as workers.

But women are fighting back. Delegates spoke of the importance of the public sector strikes, student protests and “slutwalk” marches in building a spirit of resistance.

Sue Bond from the PCS union and TUC women’s committee spoke of the magnificent days of action on 30 June and 30 November. She called on public and private sector workers to fight together for fair pensions.

Unison delegates pointed out that their strike ballot is still live, and urged low-paid women workers to make use of this and call for further strikes.

Mary Brodbin from the NUJ union called for union members to show solidarity by not crossing picket lines.

More strikes will be key to building women’s participation in the trade union movement and defending women’s rights.

• Some 220 people attended the Socialist Workers Party women’s dayschools in London and Leeds last weekend. They discussed Marxism, feminism, the socialist tradition and the fight for liberation today.

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